You And Me, Babe
by domdom97
Summary: The sequel to Set In A Song, please read that first! So this is the story of Beck and Tori's lives after their engagement and life in college...
1. Coffee

**You And Me, Babe**

**So this is the sequel to Set In A Song, I suggest you read that before this or it won't make any sense! :) Anyway, for those who have read it, I hope you enjoy and please review!**

"You and me, babe, how about it?" Tori watched the video of her and Beck's engagement on the screen, it had thousands of views, she hadn't come to terms with the fact that thousands of people witnessed one of the greatest moments of her life. She didn't even know thousands of people.

The video ended and the screen filled with over 20 other videos of the same event, it seemed as everyone in the bar that night knew it would be something, everyone got their phone out and recorded it, everyone got home and uploaded it to the internet. Thousands of people then watched these videos.

Tori remembered when she came home from New York, she hadn't told her parents about the engagement yet; she hadn't even come to terms with it herself. She sat them down at their dining table and showed them this video, she watched them taking it all in.

Her mother squealed and her father just raised an eyebrow. Trina however had the biggest reaction; she pushed her chair back and screamed at Tori for stealing her boyfriend. Her family had a little celebration meal that evening with Beck's parents then by the next day everyone had moved on.

Tori looked down her ring, she found herself doing it all the time. Just making sure it was still there, that she hadn't imagined it all. It sat just over the middle of her 'B' tattoo, if her parents had noticed it they hadn't said anything. She slid the ring off of her finger and traced her finger over the engraving, tiny letters that said, 'You and me, babe'.

Beck never told her about the engraving, it was only when she took the ring off once to wash up the dishes that she saw it. Thinking at first that she was hallucinating, she rang Beck, his reply was only "Oh, so you found that."

Tori closed the lid of her laptop and stood from her desk chair, college started in two weeks and she hadn't finished packing up her room. She found herself being very relaxed about the whole moving to New York thing, after all she had an apartment and a house mate all sorted out.

That was one thing that her dad wasn't happy about, as odd as it may sound he was fine with an engagement at 18 and moving the New York – but not about Tori living with her fiancé. She couldn't see what his problem with it was but she just ignored him.

Cardboard boxes sat all around her bedroom, labelled with things such as 'Clothes', 'Shoes', 'Bedroom'. Organisation wasn't usually her strong point, the boxes may be there and suitably labelled but they were all empty. The task of emptying her closet and folding all her clothes into boxes was something Tori couldn't bring herself to do.

Beck's small RV had been packed up for weeks, however he refused to do the same for Tori's bedroom, bigger in size and much fuller. She may have been small but Tori practically hoarded clothes, shoes and accessories.

Tori slid her ring back and stood up from her bed, the packing wasn't going to do itself despite her hoping. She sang to herself as she pulled various garments from their hangers and threw them into a pile. She found her dress from the Hollywood Art's graduation party, then the dress she was wearing when Beck proposed.

She hung them both on the doors of her closet as she continued with the extracting of the clothes she wanted to take with her to New York. Once the closet was only half full and the pile of the floor resembled a mountain, she started to take each individual garment and fold it into the 'Clothes' box.

Only when three boxes of the same title were full, did Tori retreat to the bed. With an a exhausted sigh she picked up her phone, one new message from Beck.

_To: Tori_

_From: Beck_

_Hey babe, want to get a coffee or something? My mom is talking weddings and I need an escape. _

Tori giggled and told him she'd meet him their favourite tea and coffee bar, Bean Bags. Only a ten minute walk away, after leaving her house she thought back to Beck's message. Should it be weird that they weren't talking about weddings? As a couple they hadn't really discussed it, just that they should leave it a while.

Tori pushed open the door to the café, she saw a familiar long haired boy sitting at a table in the corner. "Hey" she said as she placed a gentle kiss on his cheek and sat down opposite him.

"Hey, are you all packed up yet?" Tori chuckled, he knew her far too well for that to be a serious question.

"Yeah, sure. Everything I own is currently packed away into a box and sitting in my bedroom ready to go, in fact I even cut down on the amount of clothes and shoes!" Beck raised an eyebrow, "I'll take that as a no, then." He said with a smirk.

Tori picked up the menu and began to skim over it before Beck plucked it out of her hands. "Hey!" she disputed, "why'd you take my menu?"

Beck chuckled as he put the menu back where it was, "You forget how well I know you, Tor. You're gonna sit there and look at the menu for about ten minutes; in that time you will go with your usual, then decide you need a change and choose a different beverage, then tell yourself that you drink too much coffee and decide instead to order a smoothie, then just as the waiter comes over you realise that it's weird to have anything other than your usual."

Beck breathed out and rested his elbows on the table, he looked up at Tori who just said "Wow."

A waitress came over with a round tray, she placed it down on their table gently and handed out Tori and Beck's drinks. "One Espresso and one Mocha, and your receipt." She said, leaving a small piece of paper in the middle of the table. She smiled at the two and turned to walk back to the counter.

Tori took a sip her mocha, she knew there was a reason this was her usual. "So," Beck started, "as I told you earlier, my mom was talking weddings." Tori smiled at her fiancé, talking of weddings made her feel all warm inside.

"Yeah?" she asked, replacing her cup on the table. Beck took a sip of his own coffee, it came in a mug version of a shot glass and made him feel like a giant.

"I know we said we would leave it a while, like until we'd finished college," Tori nodded, she didn't really know where this was going. "Well, maybe we should bring it forward you know, get married like next year." Beck took a deep breath as he waited for Tori's response.

"Um, I think that's a great idea!" Tori said as she leant over the table to kiss Beck on his lips, once she sat back into her chair she took his hand into hers and smiled.


	2. College

**Chapter 2**

**"**That's the last of 'em" Tori's dad told Beck as he pushed the last box from Tori's room onto the back of Beck's truck. Beck closed up the flap and secured it with the metal clips, he leant on it as he looked up Tori's dad.

"Thanks for the help loading them, Mr Vega." Tori's dad scanned Beck up and down, peering at his ripped jeans, long hair and vest. "Call me David," he told him, sticking out his hand which Beck shook.

"You better look after my little girl down there in the Big Apple, remember I'm a cop." He chucked as he patted Beck on the shoulder and then walked back into the house.

Once he'd gone Tori came out, she skipped over to Beck and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Is everything in?" she asked him, kissing him on the cheek. He nodded looping his arms around her waist, "Yup."

"Promise you'll call me when you get to the motel?" Tori asked him, her eyes shining, "I promise." Beck smiled and gave her a last kiss before climbing into the driver's seat of the truck. He closed the door and gave Tori a wave before starting it up and driving away.

Tori watched until her was out of view and made her way back inside, she sat down on the camping bed in her room, around her her bedroom was empty and sad. As Beck had lived in the RV for years now he didn't have any proper bedroom furniture so all of Tori's was taken to their apartment.

She didn't mind it just meant she had to sleep on a camping bed for the few nights until she made it to New York too. The only clothes she still had were packed away in a suitcase, along with her toiletries and fragile things she didn't want to put in a box and risk breaking.

She sighed as she laid back on the small bed, holding her phone to her chest she knew she had hours until Beck called her. She felt her eyes closing and before she knew it her phone was ringing in her hand.

"Hello?" she said sleepily into the handset.

"Hey, Tor, I just checked into the motel" Tori perked up a little at the sound of Beck's voice.

"Awesome," she smiled, "how long have you got left to go?"

Beck didn't answer for a few seconds as he calculated it in his head, "Um, about 22 hours." He said in the least enthusiastic voice he could muster.

Tori sighed, "Aw well, it will all be worth it, right?"

"Yeah, at least you're flying over soon so I won't be alone too long."

"Yeah, I can't wait," Tori smiled into the phone as Beck yawned at the other end, "You should probably get some sleep, call me when you stop tomorrow, okay?"

"Yah, you're right. I'll probably set off pretty early, night Tor"

"Night, love you."

"Love you too, sweet dreams." Beck smiled as he ended the call and climbed under his bed covers, he switched off the lamp and was quickly asleep.

Tori put her phone on the floor next to her bed, suddenly missing her bedside table. She got to her feet and dragged herself downstairs to her lounge. With everyone else in her family sound asleep upstairs, she switched on the TV and wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.

Tori's cab pulled up in front of the block of apartments she hadn't seen since her last visit to New York, Beck came out of the glass door at the bottom, he smiled as he saw her.

"Hey!" Tori got her case out and put it on the sidewalk before pulling Beck into a hug. Beck took her suitcase and lead her into the building, they stood in the elevator until it dinged at the 5th floor.

Beck unlocked their door and left Tori's suitcase propped up against the wall. As he turned around Tori threw her arms around his next and crashed her lips against his, Beck looped his arms around her waist and pulled her to their bedroom.

Just as they got through the door Tori's phone started to ring from the hall. "Urgh" she groaned as she dug her phone out of her beg. "Hey Trina," she rolled her eyes at Beck as she wandered around the apartment, absent-mindedly 'um huming' and agreeing with Trina on the other end of the call.

Beck chuckled and made his way to their kitchen, a few boxes still sat around on the counters. He went to the box nearest the stove and began to empty the contents. His mom had taken great responsibility in making sure Beck and Tori's was fully equipped.

As he found a place for their new microwave, Tori came into the kitchen form the lounge, she went to the fridge looking for a drink only to find that it was empty. "Um, Beck?" he looked around at confused expression, "Yeah?"

"Where's our food?" Beck put his hand to his forehead, "Damn, I knew I forgot something." Tori laughed softly as she hugged him, Beck brought his arms down from his head and hugged her back.

"Come on then, let's go shopping." Tori let go and pulled Beck to door, picking up his keys as she went.

Tori switched of her alarm as she swung her legs out of the bed, "Come on, babe." She whispered to Beck, "We need to get up."

She brought out the outfit she had picked from the closet and laid it on the bed. Beck came out of the shower and chose his clothes, within minutes he was in the kitchen with a bowl cereal.

Tori came out of their bedroom 15 minutes later and went to the bathroom to do her make-up, Beck sighed, he may have more hair products than she did but he still got ready far quicker.

Tori came out of the bathroom and headed for the door of the apartment, grabbing an apple on her way. Beck followed and locked the door behind them.

Once they were in the car Beck started it up and headed to their college. "Are you as excited as I am?" Tori asked him, she smiled widely as she waited for Beck's response. "Course I am, its our first day at NYU! We're here."

"I know right, I haven't been into this industry very long but long enough to have dreamt of doing this!" Tori smiled at his fiancé, "No, babe, I mean we're here…at the building."

"Oh." Tori said as she looked out the window, the Tisch School of NYU in front of them. Students just like surrounded the building, each one shared Tori and Beck's excited faces, Tori stood in awe as she climbed out of the car.

"They must all be performing art students like us." She said as she turned to Beck who had locked the car and was stood waiting for Tori. Four girls about their age walked past them, one with blonde hair in a ponytail turned to her friend and said not so quietly, "Check out the guy next to that car," the girl closest to her rolled her eyes as she said, "Kate, do not even think about trying to serenade him with your rendition of You Belong With Me." She grabbed Kate's wrist and pulled her along with an apologetic smile.

Beck took hold of Tori's hand and led her to the main hall of the building where orientation would be held.

**Chapter 2, so please review and tell me what you think of the story so far, if there's no interest then I may stop writing... anyway, I don't (unfortunately) own victorious.**


	3. Crushed

**Chapter 4**

"Hey guys!" Tori smiled as the faces of her friends appeared on her laptop screen. Cat, Jade and Andre smiled back from behind their webcams.

"Sup Tor? Beck?" Andre called form his section of her screen, behind him his grandmother paced back and forth.

Tori's eyes followed her for a few seconds before asking, "What up with your Grandma?" as soon as she said the words Andre's grandma jumped up and ran to the computer, her eyes were wide with horror.

"ANDRE! WHY ARE YOUR FRIENDS TRAPPED IN THERE? WHAT DID YOU DO?" Andre rolled his eyes before putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "It's okay Grandma, they're not really in there, they are actually in their houses, but I can see them because of our webcams."

She considered what he had told him before her eyes went wide again, "TURN IT OFF! WHAT IF THE GOVERNMENT IS WATCHING? HI MR PRESIDENT! I VOTED FOR YOU, MR PRESIDENT!"

Andre sighed and shot everyone on the chat an apologetic look, "I better go guys, but I'll call y'all later, kay?" Tori and Beck nodded as everyone said goodbye to Andre.

Jade interrupted the silence that followed, "I bought some new scissors, says they're extra sharp." Cat giggled at Tori's horrified expression, Beck just shrugged, he had spent too much time with her to be surprised.

When no one said anything Jade continued, "There's some cheerleader chicks at college I might test them on." She said as she held the blades up to the camera, turning them to see every angle, Jade then began to polish them.

"Tori?" Cat asked with a big smile, hugging her purple giraffe. When she smiled her dimples became deep and softened her face even more than her baby features already did.

"Yeah?" she replied, Tori had learnt to be careful what she said to Cat; she could insulted by harmless comments and couldn't keep a secret.

"Why aren't you in your house?" Cat giggled at the end of her question like it was a joke. Beck smiled at their friend, so innocent and sweet. Cat reminded him of his three year old cousin who once spent a half hour laughing a mug.

"I'm in my new house, Cat, mine and Beck's house, we live in New York now remember?" Jade snorted and Cat looked puzzled.

"Where's Trina?" she asked while she played with her giraffe's ears. Tori looked at Beck, then back at the screen. Jade had a wicked smile on her face.

"Trina doesn't live here, Cat." She told her red-haired friend, who merely shrugged and twirled some hair around her finger. Jade stopped polishing her scissors and began to cut up some flowers instead.

The door of their apartment buzzed and Beck got up to see who wanted to get in, the little screen showed a pizza delivery guy, "Damn, ten more minutes and it would be free." He groaned as he let the guy in.

A couple of minutes later there was a knock on the door, Beck pulled some money out of his wallet and pulled the door open, "Surprise!" Trina leapt forward and threw her arms around Beck's neck.

Over her shoulder a pizza delivery guy give an apologetic smile and he passed Beck the pizza and accepted the cash before heading back to the elevator. Trina released Beck and walked further into the hall.

"Nice place, you didn't have to order a pizza for me though, you could have just cooked me some turkey, you have a microwave right?"

Beck sighed and headed into the lounger, Tori turned around on the couch and inwardly groaned. She turned back to the screen, "I better go guys, call you later." Cat waved and Jade chuckled, Tori had no doubt that Jade had something to do with this surprise visit.

"Hey Trina" Tori said, getting up from the couch and putting her laptop where she had been sat. Trina popped her head through the arch connecting the lounge to the kitchen.

"Oh, you're here," She said to Tori, her eyebrows knitting together "Jade told me you guys broke up so I got my stuff and got a flight, thought Beck might need a shoulder to cry on…or make out with, I'll be his shoulder to make out with"

Beck let a repulsed expression cross his face, which Tori chuckled at. He ran his fingers through his hair, before preparing himself to talk to Trina. "So how long are you staying?" he asked, "A couple days? A week?" an hour? He added silently.

Trina didn't respond, instead she grabbed her suitcase handle and walked into one of the two spare bedrooms. Beck and Tori threw themselves on the couch, with matching sighs, and opened up the lid of the pizza box.

"For your first assignment, I'm gonna drop you in at the deep end," Beck's professor paced across the front of the lecture hall, he wasn't very tall but you couldn't help but notice him; he wore thick glasses, grey hair hung around his balding scalp and his face hid behind a wild grey beard.

He talked with his eyes closed, Beck noticed, but when his eyes opened they were a bright but pale blue. "I want you to make a short film," the air in the room lifted with excitement, Beck's mind ran with millions of possibilities.

"The film should be about you, and have some interesting background music to it, no dialogue. Say everything you need to say with just the camera and the music. Be honest, I believe it was Peter Jackson who said 'the most honest form of filmmaking, is to make a film for yourself'."

Beck and the rest of his classmates got out of their seats, minds racing with ideas. A boy who had been sitting to his left for all the class intercepted Beck as he headed for the door. The boy forced his hand into Beck's and shook it vigorously.

"Hi, I'm Todd." Beck smiled at him noncommittally, before replying, "Beck." Todd was shorter than Beck by a good few inches, he looked up at Beck through his blonde eyelashes. Like the rest of him; they were short and stubby.

Todd wore scruffy jeans and a tshirt that said 'Vote For Pedro', which Beck chuckled at. "So Beck, have you had any ideas about your film?" Beck exhaled loudly.

"Well, in the whole ten seconds I've had to think about it," he joked, "I've had some thoughts, not decided on anything yet though, you?"

Todd shrugged and waved bye to Beck as he headed for his red bicycle. Beck watched him pedal away then climbed into his truck and pulled out of the parking lot.

As he turned onto the main road, he saw a big truck driving across in front of him, the truck suddenly screeched to a halt leaving tyre tracks like graffiti on the road. The noise alone left Beck cringing, but the sight of a bike flying past his window sent a shiver down his spine.

All the cars around pulled in and several drivers got out. Minutes later an ambulance and police car appeared with their sirens blaring, the street lit up like an 80's disco. A man climbed out of the truck cab; his sunglasses were on top of his head and gut stuck out from under his tshirt.

He ran his fingers over his scalp as he talked to two police officers, he kept looking around and taking deep breaths. The paramedics lifted someone onto a stretcher and loaded them into the back of the ambulance before pulling away.

Beck leaned back in his seat and blew out breathe, he didn't realise he was holding. His knuckles tightened on the wheel. Next to his car laid a bicycle, red crushed metal and dented tyres, Beck's eyes blurred.

**Hey guys, sorry I've been a little MIA but this took a lot of work, shout-out to anyone who can name the film Todd's tshirt is from! **

**-Dom **


	4. Cupcakes

Chapter 4

Tori unlocked the door to her and Beck's apartment, Beck should have been home already but it was empty. She sighed as she dropped her bag to floor with a thud, and swung the door closed behind her.

Tori wandered around the dark apartment, switching lights on as she went and plug in her phone to charge. Trina kept 'borrowing' Tori's charger because she left hers at home, Tori was thankful that Trina was still out sightseeing so she could charge her phone in peace.

She wondered where Beck was as she made herself a coffee, he probably tried to call but her phone was acting crazy again, Tori's thoughts drifted to the extension cable she had had to carry everywhere last time it did this.

The apartment felt bigger when she was alone; the dark sky hung outside the big windows, iridescent stars were muted by the lights of the city. She switched on the tv and watched Friends, laughing along as Ross insisted they 'were on a break'.

As yet another episode drew to an end, Tori heard Beck creep through the door. He gave her an apologetic smile as he joined her on the couch. "Where have you been?" Tori asked, resting her head on Beck's shoulder.

He took a deep breath and turned the tv off, "A guy at college introduced himself to me after our class and then he got hit by a truck." Becks face stayed neutral but his eyes glistened as Tori's widened in shock. She pulled him into a hug and held him close, she could feel his heartbeat in his chest.

Tori finally released the words she'd been holding on the tip of her tongue. "Is he okay?" she looked into Beck's eyes and saw hope. He nodded, "the doctors seemed quite optimistic, he was already in surgery when I got to the hospital. His mom was there, devastated of course, but everyone was generally hopeful."

Tori smiled softly and entwined their fingers, "I'll bake him some cupcakes." Beck chuckled and then let out an involuntary yawn. Tori stood up and walked them both to their bedroom, within minutes they were fast asleep, still in their clothes.

Beck shuffled around in the kitchen, pulling out pans and ingredients for breakfast. As he got some eggs out of the fridge and closed the door, Trina appeared at the breakfast bar. "Morning Trina," he said as politely as possible to the girl who showed up at his apartment uninvited, "what time did you get in last night?"

Trina smiled proudly as she announced, "About 10 minutes ago actually." Luckily for Beck, Tori came in and took over the role of talking to Trina, who bragged non-stop about her night spent with a guy called Chad.

Trina only shut up when Beck presented her with a plate of pancakes. They ate in a comfortable silence as Tori thought over what Beck told her about that guy he knew in hospital, in her mind she went over all the kinds of cupcakes she could make and what time they should go to the hospital and what it would be acceptable to wear to visit…she didn't even know his name.

She inwardly sighed as Trina began to talk about Chad again, "he has skin like toffee and dark brown hair, and it was spiky…" Trina went on. Beck and Tori simultaneously came to the same conclusion: Trina spent the night with Chad from NYU, Chad in Beck's film class.

They shared horrified expressions and then noticed the room had gone quiet again, Trina's chair was empty. Beck and Tori laughed quietly to themselves before Tori stood up and rooted around in the cupboards. "I need cake stuff" she proclaimed, as if it were a message from God himself.

Beck put their dishes in the sink and tried to tiptoe away, Tori's head snapped around to face him. "And where do you think you're going? I'm not carrying it." Beck through his hands in the air, "You can carry hundreds of bags of clothes and designer shoes but not some sugar and flour?" he teased.

Tori smacked him gently on the back of the head as she walked past, "For that, you can pay now too" she winked at him as she picked her bag up and slid the strap over her shoulder. Beck followed her out of the door and into the elevator.

As they reached the lobby they saw Chad at the front desk, Tori and Beck walked up to him and watched as confused crossed his features. "Hey man, whatcha doing here?" Chad asked Beck, giving him a one armed man-hug. He simply smiled at Tori.

"Uh, I live here." Beck replied, "you?". Chad's cheeks got slightly pink as he stumbled over his answer. "I met an awesome girl last night dude, funny, gorgeous, told me she lived here."

Beck chuckled quietly, "Her name Trina, by any chance?" Chad's eyes widened as he nodded, "She's Tori's sister, staying with us on vacation. Room 528, go have fun." Beck smiled as he tossed his keys to Chad, who jogged to the elevator and practically jumped through the doors.

Tori shuddered as she thought about what their 'fun' would entail, then she vowed never to think about it ever again. They ended up buying cupcakes and going straight to the hospital in a bid to avoid any accidental Chad and Trina sightings back at their apartment.

Tori walked cautiously behind Beck as he headed into Todd's room, in the bed laid a boy of their age, he had shaggy blonde hair and bright blue eyes, he smiled when he saw Beck. "Hey! You're looking better already and it's been less than 24 hours!" Beck exclaimed, all tension had evaporated from his body.

He placed the box of cupcakes on the bedside table and sat in the armchair next to it. Tori lingered awkwardly in the background, Beck then realised that Tori and Todd had never met before, he jumped up pulled Tori to him, "Todd this is Tori, my fiancé, Tori this is Todd." Todd smiled up at Tori and put out his hand, Tori shook it gently.

When closer to him Tori noticed the little cut above Todd's eyebrow and his red eyes, his arms were scattered with bruises and the one furthest away from her was in a cast. Todd glanced around and set his gaze on the tray of cupcakes. With a subtle smile Tori plucked one from its holder and handed it to Todd, the one to Beck and took one for herself.

Silently they all bit into their cupcakes, Todd had some white frosting on his nose. When he finished his cupcake he stuck his tongue out of his mouth and tried futilely to lick the frosting from his nose, he angled and stretched his tongue as much as he could before admitting defeat and grabbing a napkin.

He caught the gazes of Beck and Tori and seconds later they all burst into laughter, Todd's painkillers and numbed his injuries and allowed him, for the time being, to ignore them. He grabbed the tv remote form the bedside table and switched on the tiny screen in the corner of the room.

Tori got a sense of déjà vu when Ross shouted from the tv set, "WE WERE ON A BREAK!" and the three of them erupted into laughter once more. They spent the next few hours in this way until a pretty nurse with brown hair informed them that visiting hours were over.

With gentle hug and a 'see you later' they left Todd and the hospital and made their way back to the apartment. Once they were outside the door Beck raised his hand and knocked. Within seconds the door flew open to a very dishevelled Trina.

Her hair was a nest on top of her head and her lips were swollen, she smiled brightly at Tori and Beck and patted her hair back down. From the guest bedroom she was staying in, appeared an equally dishevelled Chad.

Beck and Tori silently made their way to the kitchen, just relieved that Trina and Chad were wearing clothes.


	5. Class

Chapter 5

Beck sat at his desk on his laptop, a blank video frame on the screen he loved to write and make films, he'd done so many at Hollywood Arts, but he'd never made one about himself before.

He scrolled through all the photos he had on his computer, the most recent were of him and Tori. he had albums full of family photos where a kid with shoulder length messy hair smiled at the camera with his no front teeth. A chubby baby in his mother's arms. He clicked through endless pictures as his virtual self got older.

Beck let out a frustrated sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. "Hey baby, you still struggling with your film?" Tori asked as she placed her arms around Beck's neck from behind him.

"Why is this so hard?" he groaned, leaning back onto Tori's shoulder. She kissed him on the cheek, "Maybe because you left it till the last minute?" Tori joked.

It was true Beck had put off making his film for class like the king of procrastination he was: he visited Todd every day, he did every chore in the apartment he could think of, he washed his car – twice, he organized his section of the closet by colour. Then when he finally made it to his computer, he would sit and play angry birds on his phone.

Tori pulled away from him and leant against the desk, "How are you meant to compile 18 years of life into one short film?" she asked.

"Exactly my problem." He answered, Tori thought for a moment before saying, "It's like when they say that your life flashes before your eyes before you die."

Beck jumped up from his seat and pulled Tori into a hug, kissing all over her cheek. "You, baby, are a genius!" he exclaimed, Tori just shrugged, "I know, it's about someone noticed," she sighed, "Well I'm gonna go watch Friends."

Beck sat back down at his desk began to plan, he fervently dragged photos from his collection, lined them up in chronological order, the previously blank screen was now filled with photographs of his life.

Tori came back in every few hours and watched in awe Beck's artistic vision took place, the only things he'd told her, after announcing she was a genius of course, was that he felt like Plankton with the Krabby Patty Secret Formula.

But right now he was slumped over in his desk chair, head on the keyboard, fast asleep. She gently shook his shoulder, "Beck, come on, you need to go to bed." When he didn't stir she shook him with more force, eventually he lifted his head from the table, but only to lay it down on the other side.

Given up on shaking him Tori picked up his phone, finding the music app she turned the volume to full and blasted him with the first song on shuffle. With the speaker next to his ear, playing a Killers' song, Beck jumped from his seat and snatched the phone from Tori, turning the song off he looked up at her, seeing red.

"Why? Why!?" Tori doubled over laughing as Beck dragged himself from his chair to their bedroom. Once Tori had recovered, she found Beck curled up on their bed, wrapped in the covers like a baby. His usually stylish dark hair was muddled around his head like a brown halo. A sleepy calm settled over his features; contrasting drastically with the worried film maker he had been hours earlier.

Tori slipped on her pyjamas and slid into bed next to him; instinctively Beck rolled over and looped an arm over her waist. Tori realised that she'd never felt so safe and so loved before. The bright lights of New York City's night life made up for its lack of visible stars.

With an exhausted but happy sigh, closing her eyes on the bustling night life of the city that never sleeps, Tori defied its reputation.

Tori walked into her music class the next morning, knowing that any minute now Beck would be handing over the disc of his first film to his tutor. She was scared for him. Anyone would think she was handing over a film herself.

The room where Tori had her class was big, but it was slit up into smaller rooms: there's a recording studio, a mixing room, two classrooms and a store room for instruments. She went into the first of the classrooms to join the rest of her class.

As she went through the door she was greeted by some of the girls she'd befriended; Julie was from somewhere down south, she had curly blonde hair and a strong accent, next to her sat Kayleigh, she had straight hair that was brown at the top and dyed blonde at the tips, she smiled at Tori but quickly turned back to the front. The last of her three friends was Kat, it worried Tori how alike she was to Jade, her black hair and multiple piercings, down the inside of her arm she had a tattoo of a dragon.

She waved to Tori and patted the seat next to her, yes she was like Jade in the way she looked but they acted like polar opposites. In the doorway behind Tori, barrelled in Jared, he was built like a man mountain with muscles on top of muscles; he often wore tight t-shirts much to the girl's delight.

He pushed past Tori and threw himself into the spare seat next to Kat, now the only one left was the other side of him, Tori had no choice but to sit there. As the put her bag on the floor next to the chair, Jared eyed her up and down, with smirk he said "Good choice, Vega, great view."

Tori rolled her eyes, it seemed many of the boys in this programme carried huge egos around as well as their books. Without a reply she faced the front and waited for her professor to begin. Once the professor did begin though, Tori couldn't concentrate; a combination of thinking about Beck's film and feeling Jared's eyes burn into her.

With a few sideward glances Tori confirmed that Jared was staring at her. His lack of subtly shocked her. She could tell her was from the area, he spoke like Joey from Friends with the same looks and charm as well as the accent.

Tori noticed a tattoo on his wrist; it said '_M. D.'_ in swirly letters much like her '_B'_ tattoo. She knew there must be a story behind it, and she couldn't help but be intrigued. He saw her staring at it and his posture shifted, he moved his arm so the tattoo was no longer visible.

He met her eyes for a second then turned away completely, facing the front. Tori knew the tattoo must be sensitive subject, but it didn't stop her wondering.

** Sorry I've been a little MIA recently, and I totally forgot to do this on the last chapter as promised, but well done apmrocks13, who was the first to guess Napoleon Dynamite! Anyway, I'll try to update the next chapter soon, please please review! I love reading your reviews!**

**-Dom**


	6. Chair

**Chapter 6**

Beck felt a weight drop onto his shoulders when his film started; the lights in the room were dimmed so the faces of his classmates were undistinguishable. The film stared with a close up Beck's face, he pretended to be on the brink of death as the camera zoomed in on his eye.

The screen filled with images and videos, they flew past at an alarming speed, key ones were slowed but for the most part they were pretty quick. The music started over the speakers, getting louder as it goes on.

"There are places I remember

All my life though some have changed

Some forever not for better"

Beck had no doubt about the song he would choose; it was always his grandfather's favourite. Every time he heard he would think back to his grandfather playing the record in his study. When he wasn't reading To Kill A Mockingbird, he was listening to The Beatles. They would always comfort his grandfather and now they did the same for him.

"Some have gone and some remain

All these places have their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life I've loved them all"

Beck watched on as his photographed self grew up, his toothless grin became a perfect white smirk. His hair got longer, his clothes became cooler, he found his style and stuck with it. Some of the earlier pictures received a collective 'aww' from the class.

"But of all these friends and lovers

There is no one compares with you

And these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new"

The Hollywood Arts phase of photos started; he was many different characters, he was shown with all his different friends, photos of him and Sikowitz caused him to chuckle to himself. Then the Tori phase began.

"Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life I love you more"

From the hundreds of photos he had of Tori and him, he chose the ones that meant the most. One of which was from their trip to New York, when they sat together on a bench in Central Park. The day he knew that no matter what happened, it couldn't be bad with Tori there. The moment he knew he had to propose to her, he had to make her his. Not in a caveman way, just to settle his worries that she might leave him one day.

"Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life I love you more

In my life I love you more."

The music slowly fades out, along with the camera. When Tori watched his film, she had told him that it was like the end of Breaking Bad. Though no flattery would have prepared him for the applause that followed the end. As the lights came back on, the weight lifted, with it went all Beck's worries and fears.

That was until he saw his professor's face.

Tori pushed open the door to her new favourite coffee shop, it wasn't quite Central Perk but at least it wasn't Starbucks. Tori despised ordering her coffee size in a language she didn't understand. The place she preferred was understated, the décor was modern but quirky. And the coffee, oh the coffee.

Tori had become a regular since she discovered the place, her favourite place to sit was in the corner, in a fluffy armchair and her own lamp. It was like having a slice of her Grandparent's house right there in New York.

She waited in the line at the cash register, though it was understated, it was not unknown. She didn't have to think about what to order, all the staff just knew. One of the best things about the place was that they would tell the customers where the coffee came from.

It changed every week, the locations fascinated Tori, as did the subtle but undeniable differences in flavour. As she had been informed the day before, this week's coffee was from Brazil. The smell was enough to make Tori want to up and move there.

As her turn to be served came, Tori stepped towards the counter. Behind the counter stood a girl Tori assumed was just over five foot tall, she had short red hair in pigtails that stuck out of the bottom of her skull, a look Tori had nicknamed 'Frankenstein hair'.

"Hey Sally, how's life?" Sally smiled at Tori and went about preparing her coffee. "It's good, we've been real busy today." She slid Tori's cup over the counter and Tori handed her the money, Beck thought the coffees were a little overpriced here, but Tori just rolled her eyes at his arguments.

With a smile Tori turned to make her way to her usual seat. She stopped dead a few feet from it when she saw him, Jared Duncan. The Neanderthal from her music class. He had his feet propped up on a stool and flicked through a magazine entitled 'Cars: a man's best friend.'

With an inward groan and an eye roll Tori looked around for another seat. For the first time ever, she resented the popularity of the shop, and in a clichéd turn of history repeating itself, the only empty chair was next to Jared.

With a forced air of nonchalance Tori sat down in the seat and pulled out her latest literary addiction. Once she found her page she tried to settle down in her chair and not think about how much comfier she knew Jared's was.

Out the corner of her she noticed Jared shift. _Damn, he must have seen me, _she thought. She mentally prepared herself for the inevitable awkward acknowledgment conversation. A casual nod, or smile, or 'hey, didn't see you there' followed by a silent, 'that was the idea' on her part. However it never came, if he had noticed her, which Tori was 99% sure he had, he didn't make any moves to show it.

Eventually she brought her concentration back to her book and away from the boy with the mystery tattoo. As Tori replaced her cup onto the table next to her, she sent her bookmark flying to the floor. Her eyes followed its path as it sliced through the caffeine heavy air and under Jared's chair.

Tori didn't have to look up to know that he had seen it too. He eyes slowly rose to meet his for a slit second, to her surprise he leaned down beneath his seat and picked it up. With a polite smile he help it up for Tori, she couldn't help but let her eyes wander to his wrist where the un-mistakable letters were scrawled.

His eyes met hers again, a flicker of pain crossed his face and with an uncomfortable shift he handed her the bookmark and fell back into his chair. The magazine wall was replaced and Tori knew the chance was gone, so she returned to her World War One romance novel and pushed the cryptic letters to the back of her mind.

After around another ten minutes of reading, Tori sat on the edge of her seat at a crucial landmark in the plot of her book. Nadine had just seen Riley for the first time in years, his injuries were healing and her heart broke all over again. Tori was desperate to keep reading, a mere two pages till the end. When a hand rested gently on her arm and brought her back to reality.

"My brother was killed in Afghanistan, his name was Michael."

**So, here you go! I'm trying to make up for my lack of updates 0:) The song on Beck's film is 'In My Life' by The Beatles, I love them and that song so much, (I think I may be Beck's granddad...) In case you're wondering, the book Tori is reading at the end there is called 'My Dear I Wanted To Tell You' by Louisa Young. anyway, that's all, please review:D**

**-Dom**


	7. Confessions

**Chapter 7**

Tori faced Jared, his eyes were full of something; sadness, trust, pain. She couldn't decipher it but, he looked like a small child. "Oh," was all she could say, the hand he put on her arm was the one with the tattoo. She gazed at it, the M.D. made more sense now, Michael Duncan. Jared's brother. Jared's dead brother.

Jared sat back on his chair and removed his hand, something about Tori made him want to trust her, tell her everything. "I was pretty young when he joined up, I don't really remember much about it. He's a lot older than me, was always like a second dad." Tori nodded, urging him to go on.

"He was deployed to Afghanistan a while ago, like as soon as he finished training. One morning we were woken up really early by the phone ringing, my mom answered and I just knew, you know? I spent years just waiting for that call, as morbid as it sounds, one look at her face and I knew." Tori felt her phone vibrate on her jeans pocket but ignored it.

Tori patted his hand reassuringly and she gave him a small smile which he timidly returned. "She didn't leave the house for weeks, just for the funeral, my dad and I tried to keep everything together, buy groceries and stuff. Every time she looked at me, it would just make her more upset, people always told us that Michael and I looked alike, this was the only time I ever resented that. Eventually, she came around, started going to counselling, doing all the day to day things she'd put off."

Jared stopped and swallowed, taking a deep breath before carrying on, "that day we decided to clean out his bedroom was rough, by that night I couldn't be in the house any longer, I went to a bar and saw some of Mike's army buddies. They told me stories about him, what he was like out there, they all loved him. In his memory, they had all gotten tattoos, his initials on the insides of their arms."

Jared lifted his arm up for Tori to see, he looked at his tattoo and smiled. "That night I got one myself, I thought my parents would freak out when I got home but they got it, you know, they understood." A single tear slid down Jared's face and he quickly wiped it away. Tori pulled him into a hug.

"Hey, it's okay. That's really sweet, that you did that for him." Jared sat up and ran a hand through his short hair. "You probably think I'm crazy, telling my life story to a practical stranger in a coffee shop." He chuckled, a deep sound that reminded Tori of her dad.

"It's fine, I'm from LA, everyone's a little crazy there, you know my friend Robbie carries a puppet around with him, called Rex, he's always getting insulted by him. Jade, she has a scissor obsession. Andre's Grandma is insane; she thinks that ceiling fans are helicopters and that there is a clone of her hiding behind the mirror." Jared laughed, properly laughed, his whole body language seemed to cheer up and Tori laughed too, glad she could make him happier.

"Oh, I haven't even started on Cat yet…"

Beck threw his books into his bag and shrugged it onto his shoulder, he strolled towards the door of the lecture hall, along with his classmates. He almost reached the door when his professor called him over.

"Beckett, may I speak to you please?" Beck swallowed and nodded, "Sure."

His professor took the disc Beck's film was on out of the dvd player and inserted it back into its case. He then put it down on his desk. "Beckett," Beck held his breath, his heart was beating against his ribs wildly. "You have a lot of talent."

Beck let go of the breath and his heart slowed slightly, _at least he doesn't think it was awful_. His professor sat on the edge of his desk and laced together his fingers. "There is a film competition next month, I've been asked to submit some students from my classes to take part. They're mostly ones in their final year but you, you are something else. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to put your film in too."

Beck's mouth dropped open, and his head nodded eagerly. "Of- of course, yeah, that- that would be awesome, thank you, sir." His professor smiled and stood up, even at his full height Beck towered over him. He looked around as if searching for something, and then gestured to the door, "You can leave now, that was all."

Beck nodded and virtually ran out of the door. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialled Tori's number, holding it up to his ear. The dial tone sounded and Beck drummed his fingers on the handset, "Come on Tori, pick up." Eventually it went to answerphone and Beck put it back in his pocket.

"Maybe she's busy, or in class, or left her phone in another room" he said to the empty corridor. With a shrug Beck walked, or skipped, down the hall and out to his car. Tonight, tonight he would celebrate.

Beck put the flowers he bought into a vase and placed it in the middle of the dining table. He'd given Chad 50 dollars to keep Trina away till tomorrow and knew Tori should be home any minute. Beck chopped up the mushrooms and the onions from the fridge.

Then he sliced the steak and threw it into the frying pan, once it was brown he fried off the mushrooms and onions. Next came the brandy, he poured it in and then carefully lit it, the flame soared up from the pan till it eventually burnt out. Beck added the cream and let it bubble, he turned down the gas of the pan then drained off the pasta. The swirly kind that was Tori's favourite.

He mixed the pasta with the sauce and then served it onto the plates as the door to the apartment opened. Setting the plates down on the table, Beck made his way to the hall to greet Tori.

"Hey babe, I made steak…" he then saw the tall, muscly guy that had also come in with Tori, he gave Beck an apologetic smile, "Diane."

Tori took Beck's hand and kissed him softly on the cheek, "Erm this is Jared, Jared this is Beck, my fiancée." The two awkwardly acknowledged each other while Tori hung up her coat and bag. "What were you saying about steak?"

"I, er, I cooked steak Diane, you know with the mushrooms and the cream, and the why is he here?" Tori shrugged and walked into the kitchen, "We got talking at the coffee shop, we have a music class together." Beck eyed up Jared who stood out of place in front of the apartment door.

"Well, er, I guess I can make up another plate."

**Voila, chapter 7! What do you think of Jared? What are his intentions with Tori? How do you think Beck feels? Please review and let me know!:D**

**-Dom**


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